Purely Arkos
by Lady Fyria
Summary: A eclectic collection of random oneshots featuring the amazing, kinda-canon pairing.
1. Graduation

**S****alutations! You might've seen my other Arkos fics around, but since I'll be writing more short oneshots, I figured I should group them into one place. You might've also seen these on the app iFunny. I have an account there called PurelyArkos where I post JNPR, Arkos and Renora themed stuff. **

**Happy reading!**

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><p><strong>Graduation<strong>

**Word Count: 889**

"Pyrrha, would you like to dance?"

He had developed into a a strong, appealing young man in their four years together, causing all of the females at the Graduation Ball to glance his way. His body had bulked up, his facial features became defined, and he prided himself on the light blond peach fuzz growing above his lips. Yes, he looked like a man now, but he was still the goof she fell in love with.

She took his offered hand with a smile, her dress swishing about her legs as he led them around the dance floor. The song faded into a slow dance and, she realized with a heavy heart, the last one of the night. Every step he took oozed with confidence, completely unlike the bumbling blonde he used to be. She had always seen this potential in him when no one else did, but to have both his and her dream realized often shocked them. Jaune had come a long way, and she couldn't be more proud.

Space between them hardly existed. His hands were a bit lower than they were supposed to be, but she didn't correct him. She took a moment to appreciate his physique; she'd been carried, supported, and hugged with those arms, she'd cried on his chest and stared forever at those lips. She desired him in more way than one, but after four years of trying, four years of almost-kisses, four years of diminishing hope and increasing vexation, it was clear it wasn't meant to be.

Blinking away the beginnings of years, she gazed up at him and was startled by the intensity in his cerulean orbs. "Today is our last day," his voice was raspy, raw with emotion. She tried to guess what was going through his mind, but she couldn't decipher his thoughts. When she nodded, he continued, "Thank you for choosing me that day in the forest. I wouldn't be here it it weren't for you."

"I chose you the moment I saw you, before the forest. And trust me when I say this Jaune, I haven't regretted it for a second."

He stared fiercely down at her, the passion in his eyes stirring the embers glowing in the pit of her stomach, and suddenly he buried his face in the crook of her neck, hugging her tightly, his hot breath making the sensitive skin of her neck tingle. The sensation caused her to shiver, and he pulled back, curiosity flashing across his handsome face. Then, tempting fate, he moved closer, and she, mesmerized by his proximity, found herself unable to do anything but let him.

"Pyrrha," her heart jumped at the way he said her name, so husky and impassioned. "I've been arguing with myself for, well, a really long time. And since we're never going to see each other again, I...I think I should tell you something. I-I know that you won't feel the same way and..." at these words, frustrated tears flooded her eyes. "...But I don't think that I could move on if I don't tell you so I really want to tell you but at the same time I don't want to tell you and Pyrrha I'm so scared to tell you because I don't know if I could handle-"

She touched two fingers to his lips, effectively silencing his nervous babble. She hadn't even noticed they had stopped dancing, nor did she care. She curled her fingers around his face, gently stroking his cheek with her thumb, and he leaned into her touch. It was now or never.

"I love you too, Jaune."

Their lips collided, each conveying an explosion of bitter joy. Joy, because at last they had each other, but bitter because in a few short hours, they would go their separate ways.

The kisses became rough and desperate, eager to make up for lost time. Secret touches were heated, stirring up frustrations that had previously been pent up. Before long, Pyrrha couldn't resist anymore. Taking him by the hand, she raced for their dorm and tugged him inside, slamming him against the door the moment it was closed. "I'm not letting you go this time, Jaune. I waited four years for this, and I'm not okay with one night. I don't care what I have to do, but I want to be with you for as long as you want me."

He kissed her passionately, trying to communicate to her just how strongly he felt for her. "I'll always want you, Pyrrha."

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><p>Nora chattered nonsensically, her heels dangling from the tips of her fingers. Feeling her begin to slip through his arms, Ren readjusted her weight. Being 'together together' with the bubbly yet terrifying girl hardly changed their relationship at all, simply that Nora declared that actions such as carrying her back to the dorm was a good boyfriend's duty. He knew that he would do this even if they weren't together.<p>

He set her on her feet for a moment to open the door. The sight they were greeted with would have him wanting to scrub his eyes with soap. Ren quickly covered Nora's eyes and shut the door, the amorous couple inside oblivious to the intrusion.

"Ren..." Nora began slowly, turning her head to peer up at him suspiciously. "They were booping, weren't they?"


	2. Birthday

**Birthday**

**Word Count: 926**

To say that Pyrrha was greatly disappointed and wallowing in self-loathing would be an understatement. With her last class done, she began trudging her way to the dorms, her boots barely scrapping off the ground. Her peers parted in the halls for her as usual, but today was for a different reason. Her eyes were downcast, her shoulders slumped, and she lacked the optimistic attitude. The students of Beacon noticed and moved out of the way, not wanting to incur her wrath.

Today was her eighteenth birthday, but no one had wished her happy birthday, excluding a rather cruel and mocking one from CRDL. Nothing from team RWBY, or from her own team. Not even Jaune. She never thought she'd see the day when Cardin cared more about her than her team.

She was too nice to tell them flat out, but after lunch when nothing happened, she began dropping hints. But Jaune and the others had not understood her cleverly worded sentences, and after a while, Pyrrha gave up. She had believed the friendships she had forged were strong and worthwhile, but perhaps she was wrong, and that thought alone hampered her mood. Maybe there was something wrong with her that was causing them not to care. Was she too nice? Not nice enough? Were they just using her for her skills and intelligence?

The majority of her disappointment stemmed from the hope she had placed in Jaune. While oftentimes oblivious, he was also sentimental and she had spent a long time wondering what he might have gotten her as a gift. But today had gone on like every other day. They'd all forgotten. Jaune had forgotten.

With a deep sigh, she faced the door to her dorm and closed her eyes. She imagined a cake with a single candle in the center, the flame dancing. A younger version of herself appeared, gazing at it, her forlorn expression reflecting Pyrrha's emotions. _I wish for just one person I care to wish me happy birthday. If I can't have who and what I really want, then at least give me this. That's all I want._

The door swished open.

"Surprise! Happy birthday, Pyrrha!"

She barely had time to close her eyes before Nora set off a volley of confetti cannons, and sparkly pink glitter coated the room and its nine occupants. Opening her eyes, she saw the happy birthday sign and the dozens of balloons. She saw Ruby at the table of snacks, trying to discreetly stuff cookies into her mouth. She saw Weiss chasing Zwei chasing Blake who ran and used Yang as a human shield. She saw Nora trying to reload the confetti cannons and Ren trying to stop her.

A hand tapped her shoulder, and she spun around to see Jaune smiling, sheepish but happy. The blonde was covered in pink glitter, and she stepped forward to brush it off of his shoulders and hair.

"Jaune, what is this?"

"It's a surprise party, Pyrrha. Did you really think I'd forget about my amazing partner's birthday?"

Bubbles of joy rose through her. "What I don't understand is how you managed to do this. You've had classes all day."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "We may have skipped our last class or two..."

"Jaune," she began sternly, frowning at him, but she couldn't keep up the façade. Her lips broke out into a delighted smile and she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him. Fighting back against her emotions, she whispered, "Thank you."

Tentatively, he rested his hands on her waist and hugged her. "Happy Birthday, Pyr."

She withdrew enough to see his face but selfishly did not want to let him go, so she didn't. Blue orbs met green, unwavering as if silently communicating secret thoughts amid the chaos that surrounded them. Happiness radiated through her. He hadn't forgotten. And he had done more than wish her a happy birthday. He had gathered their friends and surprised her. She was so happy she could kiss him, or she at least would if it wouldn't ruin their friendship and if the others weren't around and if he didn't-

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot!" He reached into his back pocket, retrieving something small and shiny. He held it up between them, and Pyrrha realized it was a pendant. The wooden charm was finely carved and polished and showed an elegant combination of his symbol and hers. She took it into her hands, closely admiring the detailed craftsmanship, and then looked up. He had a silly grin on his face, evidently proud of his gift, but his cheeks were a bright red. "It's made out of the same tree you pinned me to."

With a giggle, she looped it over her head, the charm landing just above the swell of her breasts. She couldn't resist the urge to hug him again, "I love it, Jaune." _I love you_.

Confetti rained once again, the gleeful laughter of Nora echoing somewhere beneath a large mound of the glittery flecks, despite Ren's rant about who was going to be responsible for cleaning. Weiss complained about the confetti being in her hair and how it was a choking hazard. A dog barked, and an odd hiss came seconds after, followed by Yang's amused laughter. At some point while staring into his partner's eyes, Jaune decided to do something he might regret. Ruby's ecstatic shout floated above it all, apparently having discovered the location of the cake. And behind a curtain of confetti, Pyrrha got her secret wish.


	3. Boop

**If you like what I write, please feel free to check out my other Arkos stories such as That Nikos Booty, Donuts and Happenstance.**

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><p><strong>Boop<strong>

**Word Count: 542**

"I need to tell him, Nora. I can't keep it in like I have anymore. I need to tell him I love him."

Sitting with her legs crossed on her bed, Nora watched her exasperated teammate pace back and forth across the floor of their otherwise empty dorm. She was surprised the carpet hadn't started smoking yet with how much Pyrrha had been wearing it out for the past hour with her frustrations and worries. Plainly, she said, "So just tell him."

The other girl blanched, "I'm too much of a coward."

"You're not a coward, Pyrrha! You're one of the bravest people I've ever met."

The redhead gave her friend a small, appreciative smile, but it was not one filled with reassurance. "Thank you, Nora, but I don't think I could do it. I'm too afraid of...of him not feeling the same way I do."

Silence reigned and Pyrrha resumed her frantic pacing. Nora had never seen her teammate so anxious, and so the petite warrior knew this was serious and put her thinking cap on. After a few moments, Nora snapped her fingers, the sound causing deep in thought Pyrrha to jump. "Boop him!"

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><p>Something was up. He'd arrived for their usual study session in the library, but Pyrrha had been stoic and quiet since he sat down. Not to mention she'd been staring at him, unblinking, since then too. Her entire person radiated nervousness, and if she was nervous, Jaune was nervous too.<p>

After a few minutes in the awkward quiet, Jaune looked up at his partner. "Pyrrha...is everything okay?"

Finally, she blinked, "Uh, yes, yes everything...everything is fine."

"Are you sure? You're acting kind of weird today."

She was staring at him again. Did he have something in his teeth? Had he a random growth spurt last night that made him stunningly handsome? Or was it one of those girly hormonal things?

Her hand lashed out from her side and tapped his nose. "Boop!" She squeaked, her cheeks filling with color. Her hand retreated and she stared down at her lap.

Surprise flooded through him, painting his face the same shade as her hair. He knew what 'boop' meant, though it had taken him a long time to realize why Nora and Ren said it to each other so often. He thought he'd been the only one to figure it out, but judging by Pyrrha's embarrassment, she knew what it meant too. And she'd just booped _him_.

For longer than he should have, Jaune gazed at his partner with his mouth agape, too in shock to do anything else. He tried to formulate a coherent sentence, something to say back to her. But his brain was failing to work. Pyrrha stood suddenly, still refusing to meet his eyes. "I have to go."

"Wait," he jumped up, barely managing to catch her wrist. He tugged to back to him, searching her wide emerald eyes that shined with the beginning of tears. He watched her face, waiting to see if she'd claim it was a mistake or a cruel joke. But she only stared back at him, his own nervousness reflecting in her beautiful face.

Slowly, shakily, he raised his hand and tapped her on the nose. "Boop."


	4. Secrets

**Secrets**

**Word Count: 715**

"Eek! Look who it is!"

"Huh?" Pyrrha glanced up from her book to locate the source of the shriek and found it in a petite blonde girl standing in front of the entrance to the courtyard, and the girl was looking directly at Pyrrha with pure excitement. Six other heads appeared at the girl's call, and almost every one gave their own glass shattering shriek. Pyrrha had just made the decision to run when they rushed at her, with the exception of three. The three seemed like they didn't care, but there was interest in their eyes as they followed the three others. They wer all around Pyrrha's age and older, but they acted like frenzied schoolgirls.

"Ohmigosh! Are you Pyrrha?"

"You gotta be her!"

"Of course it's her, just look at her-"

"Pleeeease tell me you're _the_ Pyrrha Nikos!"

"I'm such a big fan, I'm honored to meet you. So, so honored. So honored to even breathe the same air you're breathing. So honored to touch your hand. So honored I think I might pass out..."

The girls were suffocating Pyrrha, but the oldest girl came to her rescue. "C'mon sisters, give her some room before she pins you all to the wall like she did Jaune." The four erupted into a nervous fit of giggles and back off ever so slightly.

Pyrrha cleared her throat; she'd never interacted with her fans very well, certainly not one on one like this without security around her. With a tentative smile, she confirmed, "Yes, I'm Pyrrha. Might I know who you are?"

"Oh, it's not important," one of them responded slyly, and the others sounded their agreements.

"Sooo Pyrrha, we've all been wondering...what are your feelings towards a certain Jaune Arc?"

"Are you secretly dating right now?"

"Are you afraid to tell him you love him because he's your leader and partner?"

"Have you tried to kill Weiss out of jealousy yet?"

"What _really_ happens on the roof when you're 'training'? We, well most of us, think sexy fun times happen. You're just the girl to make little Jauney into a man after all."

"Sisters!" The oldest warned and the chatter quieted.

Pyrrha's eyes flickered rapidly between each of the sisters. "Umm..."

"C'mon Pyrrha! Spill!"

"You can trust us!"

"We won't tell anyone!"

"Pleeeeeaaassseeee!"

The redhead just wanted to go back to reading her book, but she could tell these girls wouldn't leave until their curiosity was satisfied. "Yes, I-"

"You do like him!"

"You guys are dating! That's so-_eek_!"

"Aww, Pyrrha! Be brave and tell him how you feel! It doesn't matter that he's your leader!"

"You have tried to kill her? Wow, that's _awesome_. Bloody love triangles are the best!"

"So Jaune is a man now? Well, guess I have to pay up on that bet..."

"No!" Pyrrha cried. "We're not together, I haven't tried to kill anyone, and training is just training. I have feelings for him, yes, but that's all there is. I've accepted that he only likes me as a friend."

All seven frowned and began murmuring to each other. "This is a major problem. We need to fix this."

"Maybe she's in denial."

"Stupid Jaune."

"Look, there he is now!"

Jaune stood frozen mid-step at the entrance of the courtyard. Absolute horror contorted his handsome face. "What are you guys doing here!"

"Aren't you happy to see us, little brother?"

The horror she saw on Jaune's face now consumed Pyrrha. She'd just told her biggest secret to his _sisters_.

"We've accomplished what you couldn't, Jauney." The sisters split into groups, four pushing Pyrrha up and off the bench and the other three grabbing Jaune who struggled but could not escape. They herded the resistant pair closer together, and Pyrrha knew without a doubt that they were up to no good.

Jaune's oldest sister stood between them with an ominous smirk, placing a hand on each of the apprehensive pair's shoulders. "Pyrrha, have you ever been locked in a closet before? Because I think it's time to play a little game."


	5. Shine

**Inspired by the song on Vol. 2 of the same title :)**

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><p><strong>Shine<strong>

**Word Count: 704**

Nestled in Jaune's warm embrace, Pyrrha gazed up at the glittering crystals awash in the ebony sky, a contented smile adorning her lips. The air held a sharp chill, but yet she couldn't have been warmer. His hands were clasped across her midsection, gently stroking her stomach with a thumb and planting a soft kiss to the top of her head.

She never thought this would happen in the form of him willingly making a fool of himself in front of the school and dancing the night away. She'd imagined it happening when fighting Grimm, or training on the rooftop, or after Weiss utterly crushed him and he was able to see his partner in a romantic light. Or...not at all.

Her eyes traced constellations while she hummed, feeling Jaune's breathing deepen as he fell into sleep, his head resting against the tree. She had seen him sleeping before, but he seemed even more adorable now that they had confessed what had long been kept secret. His hair gleamed like the golden sun in the moonlight that reflected off the still waters of the lake. He was the sun that illuminated her once cold and sullen life, and she would forever be more grateful than he could understand.

She'd been lonely, so, so lonely before he crashed into her life. She'd accepted that she would always would be lonely, long before the tournament that made her famous. Even in the days of her primary education, she'd been the outcast, quietly observing her surroundings. It'd been a gloomy childhood, sitting in the corner with a book. It wasn't until an introductory combat course that her peers noticed her and for a few moments she was happy, but she soon realized it was much worse after Pyrrha displayed an amazing natural talent for fighting. They were jealous, she realized years later, but she redirected her pain towards practicing her expertise with weapons, wanting to prove their malicious whispers wrong. But even with this new, glorious way of expressing herself, everything grew darker inside her with every victory. What was it all for? The thoughts of her peers meant nothing. For many months, she lost her passion for fighting, but a new reason arose in the sharp decline of Mistral's economy: she needed to support her family, and so she dusted off Miló and Aukoúo and entered the area once more. It all became about her family, the popularity, the money. They pressured her to win and to take all the interviews even at her most exhausted. It was a betrayal as her family began wanting money and fame more than they wanted her happiness.

When the opprotunity to attend Beacon arrived, she jumped at the chance. And to date, it was one of the best decisions she ever made, if only because of her team and the freedom and joy that they brought with them. But most of all, it was because of Jaune. He'd changed everything, having been one of the few who saw her for who she was beneath the armor. She had hoped that he would ask her to the dance, and surprisingly, it look him less time than she thought it would've taken. Undoubtedly, tonight was the best night of her life, and it proved that the feelings she felt weren't those of a schoolgirl crush. It was too raw, too powerful to be anything but real.

He had saved her. He alone held the hope she'd been searching for, and she'd followed his light out of the darkness. His presence chased away her nightmares, and she always had the best sleep after he'd woken her up from one. The desolate future of being forever stuck on society's pedestal she had imagined before was vanquished, and though she no longer knew what it held, she would gladly live any future as long as she was with him.

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><p><em>"That's what I like about you: when we met, you didn't even know my name; you treated me like anyone else. And thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess, you're the kind of guy I wish I was here with - someone who just saw me for me."<em>


	6. Melt

**Melt**

**Word Count: 4,673**

"_Jaune_!"

Cold shocks him to the core, encasing him. The freezing water sucks him in, pulling him farther from the surface. Bubbles of precious air escape his lungs as he screams, and he struggles to swim but his head is pounding. But he sinks further, his world darkening from the lack of oxygen, and all he can think about is how he failed his team, how he failed Pyrrha. It was his leadership that led them here to this death trap, and now he is going to die, full of the sense of failure and regret in the lake's icy abyss.

A red blur erupts before him, rushing closer, and in his fading sight, he sees a hand reaching out, taking a fistful of his sweatshirt. Faintly, he feels himself being tugged up and up, and then he is lifted, his head breaking the surface and he gasps for all the oxygen his lungs can hold. His partner bursts through the water a moment later, collapsing beside him on the ice. She lets them rest there for just a moment, gasping for breath, and it is a strange, beautiful moment surrounded by death, with the snowflakes caressing their pale faces and how their hands fall upon each other's. She'd saved him, as she always does.

She staggers to her feet, exhausted, and forces him to his own. It's then he realizes she hurt her ankle, and he moves her arm over his shoulders to help. Together they fight the winds to hurry across the expanse of ice, the bodies of the Grimm Pyrrha had slain before diving in after him fading away. The blizzard's winds strike up the snow, visibility dropping down to barely five feet, but they'd spied what looked to be a cave in the side of the mountain, and they arrived there after an eternity in the thick snow. He cannot keep his body from shaking from the extreme cold, and his clothes are stiff as he bends to unload the fire starters and blankets from the thankfully waterproof pack. As Pyrrha does the same, he wanders to the back of the cave and is thankful to find wood and clumps of dead grass. A fire is created quickly, its flames tall and inviting, but when he stands close enough to risk being set on fire, he cannot feel its warmth.

"Jaune," she says. She's hunched, her arms wrapped around herself, her body shaking and reminds him that he is responsible for her suffering, and for the suffering Ren and Nora are likely enduring. But there's color in her cheeks, and her eyes remain downcast. "We...we have to remove our clothes or we'll be hypothermic within the next ten minutes."

The heat he needs to be in the rest of his body floods his cheeks instead. He squeaks, "_All_ of our clothes?"

Pyrrha nods, and after a few awkward moments, she begins to undo her armor and then her sash. Shocked that she is undressing before him, his eyes are glued to her as she wiggles out of her skirt and it drops to her feet. His eyes widen and finally he is able to tear his gaze away from her exposed skin and undo his chest plate. He covers his nudity with a blanket, but it doesn't cover has much as he would like it to. Jaune hears his partner moving, but he's afraid to look at her in case she isn't wrapped in her blanket. She picks up Crocea Mors and curiosity makes him look, watching her as she impales the blade into the ground close to the fire and then doing the same with her shield three feet away. Carefully, she balances her spear on the hilt of his sword and the curve of the shield, and then drapes their clothes across it so they can dry. He grins, appreciating her clever resourcefulness.

And then she turns to look at him, and the blush returns to her cheeks. They are both still shivering, and Jaune can only imagine what Pyrrha is about to say. As she unravels her sleeping bag, she asks him where his is, and he hesitantly informs her that he didn't bring it because he didn't think it would be needed. Sighing as she shakes her head, she asks for his blanket and he obeys, but he can't help but notice her eyes flicker down for a second to what his hands are now covering, and the barely noticeable action makes the wheels in his head turn.

The blankets are folded in half and placed on the ground, then the sleeping bag on top of them. She slips into it with her back to him, and then looks over her shoulder expectantly at him. With frostbite still a threat to his numb extremities, he slowly, nervously joins her, attempting to keep physical contact to a minimum. It is a nearly impossible task in the one-person sleeping bag, and try as he may not to, he gets several good looks at her behind. Once settled in with his back to her as well, he closes his eyes, planning to sleep away the next few hours. But all hopes for slumber are banished when Pyrrha turns around, wrapping an arm around him and pressing herself against his back.

As though back within the depths of the lake, Jaune finds it hard to breathe and his eyes are painfully wide. His skin, hypersensitive, has become his enemy. The tiniest of her movements jolt him, and his mind flails to think of anything but her naked body. The only relief he feels is that after a few minutes, her body radiates some heat and he knows that, at least for now, she's safe from death. He is not so lucky. He is facing outside still, and the small amount of heat they have is between their bodies, not enough to warm the entire sleeping bag. But he doesn't want to turn around. He _can't_.

Hearing his teeth chattering, Pyrrha catches on and orders him sternly, "Turn, Jaune. You need to get warm."

He shakes his head furiously. "No, I'm fine."

His entire body jerks when she presses her freezing toes to the inside of his knees. "Face me, Jaune, and I'll remove my feet."

"I can't," he whines, pleading with her to leave him alone. But in one swift movement, she grabs him and flips him around. She is warm, so delectably warm and her breath is hot on his numb face. Her hand caresses his cheek, melting away the ice stuck to him as she stares at him, concerned. And then her own cheeks turn the brightest red he'd ever seen on a person, and she quickly retracts her hand.

"You are...aroused," she says slowly. Jaune squeezes his eyes shut and nods. He knows she can feel it against her lower belly because now there's absolutely no space between them and he's freaking out and doesn't know what to do because what does a guy do in this situation with a beautiful girl like her and there's no way she likes him so that makes this even more awkward and why is it still so damn _cold_!

"Jaune," her voice is urgent and he peeks at her face. She is still blushing, but worry overrides it. "You're shaking too much, your body isn't producing the heat it should be. You need to move around but getting out of the sleeping bag at this temperature would be detrimental..." She grows quiet, lowering her eyes.

"What should I do?"

Silence falls over them, and it takes her so long to respond he begins to believe she fell asleep. When she speaks, her voice is small and nervous. "Do you like me at all, Jaune?"

"Of course I do, you're my closest friend and-"

"Because I like you," she interrupts. "And I like you a lot. To know that you like me too will make the next few minutes less awkward."

He stares at her, stunned. And the first thing past his lips is not what she asked for. "Since when?"

"Since we met."

Guilt and regret pangs through him painfully, but instead of reliving his experiences between Pyrrha and Weiss, and all of that wasted time, he tells her the truth. "I like you too. Since, uh, the dance."

He sees the flash of a smile before he is pushed onto his back and then-_Oh God-_- he gasps as Pyrrha slides on top of him. He stares blankly at the cave ceiling, his body able to feel every inch of hers. Her hand snakes up his chest and to his face, and she forces him to meet her determined eyes. Within the midst of the worst blizzard Remnant had seen in decades, hiding in a shadowy cave, their hearts soar as their lips touch in an innocent kiss, neither knowing what to do, and he realizes he's just as much her first kiss as she is his. But her warmth is tantalizing, and he craves more. He curls an arm around her waist and cups the back of her head in his hand, pulling her closer in a bruising kiss. Something wet sweeps across his lower lip and instinctively his mouth opens, and their tongues battle for dominance. Her scent and her taste flood his senses, their kisses are frenzied and engulfing him in intoxicating, lustful ardor. For a girl that is normally quiet and reserved, she is fiery, demanding and taking what she wants from him and he is more than happy to give it to her. It excited him the first time she made a noise, and he made it his goal to make her emit as many sounds as possible, to the point she eventually she begins whispering his name. He is unable to form a single coherent thought; she has consumed his entire world, and as she nibbles gently on his lip, he decides he likes it that way. Her little plan worked- he is more than warm now.

An eternity in rapture drifts by. Pyrrha pulls away and a noise of protest escapes Jaune as he tries to pull her back to him. His partner resists, closing her eyes and resting her forehead against his. He realizes she's nervous again, and his brows furrow as he tries to figure out why. He traces random patterns across the small of her back, and she shivers. Feeling daring, he lets his hands drift lower, just for a moment, before moving them back. She gives him a sudden, fierce kiss, their teeth smashing together. She ends it quickly, and then she tells him, "Teens are susceptible to hormones particularly because the brain has yet to fully develop, specifically the frontal lobe where decision making takes place. We already know you've been...affected, and I..." She blushes furiously. "I am no exception."

His mouth gapes, opening and closing wordlessly like a fish. "I-I-I, you're so, you mean you, you want to, to do it with..._me_? Are you sure?"

"Jaune, we kissed for seven consecutive minutes while I straddle you naked."

"Right..."

Her grin shows her amusement, and the kiss she gives him is sweet, but then she peppers feathery kisses on his jaw and on the sensitive skin of his neck. Her long fingered wanders over his arms, his shoulders, and she lightly scrapes her nails down his chest. His breathing becomes shallower and shallower as she goes, his mind rapidly ascending back into that heavenly feeling of bliss. "Are you going to give me an answer, Jaune?"

His response is a gasp, and then all he knows is warmth.

* * *

><p>"Are you awake?"<p>

His goddess is tucked under his arm, her head resting on his chest and her legs entangled with his. They've been laying, dazed, in a comfortable silence for some time now, sweaty from the heat they'd generated together. A part of him still isn't believing what had transpired, repeatedly, between them, but every time he opens his eyes, she is still there. He feels numb and tired, but this time in the best of ways.

Pyrrha makes a guttural noise to signal her wakefulness, not wanting to move. He bends and shakes a yellow glow stick so that they are able to see inside the sleeping bag. Brushing her bangs out of her face, he asks, "Do you think I'm a bad leader? I want you to be honest with me."

Her head turns to look at him, her emerald eyes sleepy but content. "None of us could do any better than you have. It was your idea to split up and go in opposite directions that saved us when we were surrounded by all those Grimm."

He takes a moment to ponder her words and chooses to accept them, if only because she'd insist if he didn't. "Do you think they're okay?"

"I'm sure they're fine, Jaune. They were headed in the direction of the village when we separated and likely found refuge there. And with better luck, they probably found Ren's family."

"But what if they didn't? What if their bodies are frozen under ten feet of snow and we'll never find them and their families would hate me and it'll be all my fault for-"

She covers his mouth with her hand, effectively silencing him. "Stop thinking like that, Jaune. It won't help anything. Ren and Nora are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves."

"Okay," he concedes, knowing that she's right, she has to be. "How is your ankle?"

He feels her roll it experimentally. "A bit sore but I could walk."

"That's good," he says as she lays her head back over his heart. "Do you think our clothes are dry?"

Her response is immediate, but she hides her face from him. "No."

He chuckles and kisses the top of her head. She might be lying, but it isn't like he's going to leave her side anytime soon. "When do you think the storm will pass?"

"In another day, perhaps."

Drumming his fingers against her skin, his thoughts roam for something to entertain it. His mood declines as his mind takes a darker turn. "What...what's going to happen to... _us_ when we go back?"

She's silent for a while, and in the silence an unspoken thought is shared that their relationship will go back to the way it used to be. She doesn't see his frown and goes on to say, "I understand you're bored, Jaune, but I'd rather not pass the time answering a million questions," she slides back on top of him. Giving him a sly grin and threading her fingers through his damp hair, she says huskily, "Not when there are much better ways."

The blizzard persists for more two days, and during that time of carefully rationing their supplies, they learn much about each other. When they are not perfecting their 'technique' of staying warm, they share stories of their childhoods, laughing and crying, hugging and wishing they could've been there for the other in darker times, and hesitant aspirations for the future.

They stay for another half a day, reluctant to leave the sanctuary they'd created and go back to their lives where people hold expectations and judge them. But just after midday, they persuade themselves to crawl out over the several feet of snow and make their way to the village.

Their quiet journey ends explosively.

* * *

><p>He tries to meditate away his anxiety but cannot focus. He paces outside the door and wishes he hadn't sent away Nora, not yet. She always knew when he needed words of encouragement, something he truly needs right now, so he closes his eyes and imagines what she would say. For two days, he's been putting this off, but he has to. <em>Now<em>. He opens and steps through the door before the faint light of courage disappears.

"Oh there you are," a raspy voice says from the low bed on the other side of the room. The air is thick with the smell of illness. "I was beginning to think you'd never come in. Your pacing was driving me crazy."

Quickly, he moves to kneel beside the bed and bows his head. "I'm sorry, Mother."

"Oh, don't you apologize. Come here and give your mother a hug. Who knows, it could be the last hug I ever get!"

"It won't be," he tells his sickly mother as he carefully wraps his arms around her, but his words do not carry the certainty they need. She'd fallen ill years ago and her health had not improved. Her irreverence is much like Nora's, but despite the similarities between the two women in his life, his mother had always held disdain for his partner.

"Are you still following that Valkyrie girl around?" She tries not to sound accusing and to hide her contempt, but Ren sees through her easily. He sets a small table of food over her lap before answering.

"We are partners for the next four years at Beacon."

Her eye twitches, and despite his love for her, he feels a sense of satisfaction but it does not last long. "Such things with another girl are not appropriate when you are betrothed, Lie Ren. The Hiroshi family will not be pleased should they find out. You must stop your canoodling and go to the headmaster and implore him to change partners. It is a matter of honor and-"

He doesn't want to hear anymore. "Mother, please. What honor is there in a loveless marriage? I came here today to ask you to end the contract."

His mother begins to yell, telling him all her archaic reasons to continue his engagement, how she would never allow Ren and Nora to be together, but she erupts into a fit of sickening coughs. The medicine he feeds her sets her to sleep within seconds and he kisses her forehead. "Goodbye, Mother."

He hears a boom from elsewhere in his childhood home and takes off running.

* * *

><p>"Jaune! Pyrrha! You're alive and not eaten to bloody pieces by Grimm!" A flour covered Viking throws herself at her friends, hugging them until they cry out in pain from the tightness of her grip. And then she shivers violently and ushers them inside the home she rushed out of. The kitchen is also covered in flour and there is a small fire on the stove that Pyrrha covers with a pot lid. Sitting on a stool in the middle of it all is a young boy, his grin showing missing front teeth.<p>

Ren bursts through another doorway to see the chaotic mess. "Nora! What did you do?"

"Daiki and I were hungry so I tried to make pancakes," Nora says, scooping up the little boy who cheers in agreement.

"I didn't know Ren had a brother," Pyrrha whispers to her partner as they watch the argument unfold.

"I don't know much about Ren in the first place so don't blame me," he whispers back, but his voice carries across the room and the stoic member of their team notices their presence at last. Ren isn't as outwardly exuberant like his partner, but his shoulders slacken as relief washes over him.

"Thank you for finally showing," he says. "If you didn't by the end of today, we were going to have to report you as missing."

As a team, they clean up the kitchen with Nora hoisting Daiki onto her shoulders and calling him "her little sloth friend". They zoom around the room, creating more of a mess than they are cleaning while making Nora's interpretation of sloth noises. All the flour is wasted and, to the sloth duo's disappointment, there isn't enough to make the pancakes they crave and so soup is made instead. Jaune and Pyrrha, with their grumbling stomachs, are grateful to have food that wasn't preserved and in a can. All of the soup is devoured, and afterwards Nora mournfully hands Daiki over to trusted neighbors who had been taking care of the boy since Ren left.

Nora pulls Ren back away from the others as they walk aboard the airship and find seats. Their friends put as much space as they can between each other, stealing glances when they believe the other isn't looking. Shelving his interest in the other members of his team, Ren looks down at his petite partner. Her face is full of nervous hope, her fingers tugging eagerly on his sleeve. "So? What'd she say?"

He can't look at her, can't watch her heart break when he tells her. "She said no."

"Oh," is all she says. After a moment, his partner turns on her heel and walks quickly away.

Their ride back to Beacon is spent in lamenting silence.

* * *

><p>While the rest of the world seems normal, the team is not. Nora is solemn, her usual self coming out in short, rare spurts. Ren speaks less than usual and is often absent from the dorm, particularly when Nora is there. Jaune and Pyrrha have barely seen each other, let alone talk, each avoiding the other for reasons unknown to them. The awkward quiet is a rift between them, and while they acknowledge it is a problem, none feel willing to do anything.<p>

Until something snaps in Ren.

A week after their return, he shoves all of his books off his desk, startling Pyrrha and Jaune, and before they can ask what is wrong, he stalks out, determined to find his partner and get her to talk to him again.

He finds her in the courtyard, sitting on the fountain's ledge and lazily drifting her fingers through the water. It kills him to see her so depressed and unlike herself, to know that he is the reason for it. She'd always told him that she needs him, but he hadn't realized until this week how much he needed her too. "Nora."

She keeps her head down, focusing on the ripples her fingers make. "Ren."

He sits down next to her. "Please, look at me."

Slowly, she raises her head, his pain reflecting in hers. She doesn't say anything; she simply waits.

"I'm so sorry, Nora. I should've done more, and I will. I'll find a way to break it myself. We'll be together-together, like you always talk about." But seeing her so hurt makes him forget the rest of the speech he'd prepared in his head. He'd promised her he'd fight with his mother to end the engagement, yet he broke it. He stares at her, and he can feel walls crumbling inside him as her eyes bore into his. Their years together meant more than this. And he can only think of one thing to do.

"Boop," he whispers, tapping her on the nose. Her eyes shine brightly with tears and she begins to shake. And then she breaks out into her happiest of smiles and catapults into his arms.

* * *

><p>Ocean blue and forest green eyes watch the exchange from the window, a foreboding feeling developing between them. Without saying it aloud, they know they should follow their teammates' example to close the colossus distance that had grown.<p>

Pyrrha pivots and strides to her bed, and Jaune follows to sit opposite of her. The soft pink nightgown she is wearing and the skin it exposes reminds him of what's hidden underneath, of how she felt against him and how she tasted. He lunges for the spare blanket and covers his lap, blushing as he avoids her curious gaze.

"Sooo, Pyrrha..."

"Yes?"

"I...I don't know."

Her eyes fall to the bed, rubbing her forearm nervously and Jaune plucks at the fabric of the blanket. The quiet bothers them as it had been since they left the cave. He doesn't know how she feels or what's going through her head, nor does she with him.

"What are we, Pyrrha?"

His question breaks the silence so suddenly that she is taken off guard. "Well, I, um...I'm not sure either. What we did, what we had in the cave, it was-"

"_Amazing_."

Her cheeks gain a lovely rosy blush. "Yes, it was certainly...satisfactory."

He frowns, her word choice making his view on those three days change negatively. "Did you not like..._it_?"

The color in her cheeks become deeper. "No no, I mean I enjoyed myself, immensely. I just-" she waves her hands, gesturing at nothing, emotion seeping through. "I feel like I forced you into it. I don't know what I was _thinking, _and I feel so horrible about it that its been eating at me. I told myself from the beginning that I would never force you to do anything you weren't comfortable with, and of all things I pressured you into _sex_."

Jaune scoots closer, firmly grabbing her knee. "Trust me, Pyr. You didn't pressure me into it at all. I, uh, initiated a few times and I wouldn't have done any of it if I didn't want to. I could've ran and hid in the back of the cave and froze to death, but I didn't. I wanted it, and I wanted it with you. I don't think I'd have my first times any other way. I meant it when I said it was all amazing."

Pyrrha brushes the back of her hand across her eye, a tiny smile on her lips. "I as well, Jaune."

He looks at her. Her hair is mussed from running her fingers through it, and there are shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep. Her shoulders are sagged, emotionally drained and tired. She's a mess, but she is still his goddess. "C'mere, you," he says, extending his arms. The redhead doesn't resist, instead eagerly cuddling to his chest as he pulls her into his lap. With her nuzzling his neck, they pass the time simply holding each other and relishing in the physical comfort. Words can only do so much, but hugs are extraordinary.

"You know, you never answered my question."

She hums sleepily, "What question?"

"The one about us and who we are to each other."

When she raises her head and her nervous eyes clash with his, she asks him, "What do you want to be?"

"This is you not wanting to force me into anything, isn't it?" Pyrrha only blinks at him, so he inhales deeply and continues. "That day in the cave you asked me if I liked you, and I said I did. But...after the things we did together and all of our talks, I got to know you better than just teammate to teammate. And I think...I think I fell a bit harder than just 'liking' you. I don't know if it's love because, well, I've never been in love, but I'd like to find out what it's like with you."

The beautiful girl in his arms smiles through the tears that pool in her eyes. She wraps her arms around his neck, offhandedly whispering, "Of all the myriad of ways I'd imagined us becoming more than just teammates, this was definitely not any of them."

They share a grin that fades into a kiss, but it is not like the lustful, passionate ones they exchanged a week ago. It is a sweet kiss in an honest moment full of warmth that promises many more.


End file.
